Previous approaches have placed the application-specific integrated circuit (Analog ASIC) chip on the opposite side of a printed circuit board (PCB) from where a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) sensor, such as an accelerometer or gyroscope, is located. The Analog ASIC chip includes a temperature sensor designed to sense the temperature of the MEMS sensor, but the sensed temperature value is greatly dissipated with this approach because the heat produced by the MEMS sensor must be conducted through the PCB. Thus, the accuracy of sensed MEM sensor temperature is greatly reduced.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0282917 to Acar provides an integrated micromachined inertial sensing unit with multi-access angular rate and acceleration sensors. Acar discloses placing one or more sensors on top of an ASIC chip, as shown in FIGS. 1-3. However, Acar is unconcerned with providing adequate thermal conduction between the sensor and the ASIC chip. Acar shows that the sensors are electrically attached to the ASIC chip through metal vias. The ASIC chip includes electrical traces and signal condition circuitry for receiving and amplifying/processing signals produced by the sensor. Because there appears to be a physical gap between the sensor and the ASIC chip, the thermal conduction capabilities between the sensor and the ASIC chip would be possibly worse than the design in which the sensor is located on one side of a PCB and the ASIC chip is located on the opposite side of the PCB.